A Blessed Morning

Wake up in the morning with gratitude in your heart. Express gratitude that all your limbs and faculties are intact and that Allah has blessed you with another day to serve Him. You could’ve woken up with a bad headache or aches and pains but if your health is in order, give abundant praise.

Gratitude promotes abundance in one’s life, as Allah states in the Quran,

“If you are grateful [to Me], I shall most certainly give you more and more.”(Quran 14: 7)

Make an intention to spend the day in Allah’s obedience. Thus refrain from sin and any haram acts that may severe your relationship with Allah and ask Him to grant you the ability to serve Him well.

Sacrificing the comfort of a warm bed to worship Allah is one of the most beautiful ways to express your love for Him. So strive to make the Tahajjud (late night prayers) prayers a priority in your day.

There are enormous blessings bestowed in this special time when Allah draws His servants so near and graciously grants them whatever they desire. Even if you wake just 20 minutes before Fajr (dawn) to pray it, try not to skip it.

If you have little kids who often clamor over you while you pray, Fajr may be one of the prayers that you are able to perform with concentration and devotion.

Therefore, take advantage of this opportunity to offer a beautiful prayer to your Lord and be spiritually rejuvenated in return. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:

“whoever performs the prayer before the rising of the sun (Fajr) and before its setting (‘Asr), will not enter the Hell.” (Muslim)

If possible complete as much Quran reading and dhikr at this time as the blessings of it will be scattered throughout your day. The Prophet (PBUH) has stated that if a person recites surah Yaseen (chapter 36) early in the morning then his needs for the day will be fulfilled (Mishkat).

Remember, You Are the Heart

There is a popular saying that, “The father may be the head of the house but the mother is the heart.”

Mothers  are the ones who set the emotional tone in a house.  So wake up your kids in a pleasant manner. Kids, especially little ones, crave loving connections and a loving mother is a beautiful mother. While mothers usually have a load on their minds in the morning, strive to give your kids a good dose of positive attention, as this will foster co-operation.

Our Prophet (PBUH) was very affectionate, merciful and even playful with kids and he set the best and most beautiful example for us.  With this in mind, when waking them up, climb into bed and snuggle with them for a few moments, fill their emotional cups and just enjoy seeing their fresh little faces.

A scholar once made a profound statement when he said that there is little difference between the Muslim mother and atheist mother – they both have similar mundane tasks for the day except that the Muslim mother has the opportunity to spend her entire day remembering Allah.

Therefore, keep your tongue moist with the remembrance of Allah. As you pack lunches, get bags ready, hang the washing – let your heart find contentment in Allah’s remembrance for verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest. (Quran 13:28)

Important Things to Remember

Strive to pack your family healthy lunches and serve them a healthy breakfast so that they have the stamina to face the day. Serve dates, honey and milk as these are sunnah foods and will earn you spiritual rewards.  Encourage your family to eat with the intention that the foods strengthen their bodies to serve Allah for the day – this act of eating and enjoying halal foods then becomes ibadah (worship).

It is a fact that men want to feel loved and cared for just as much as women do so do not underestimate the positive effect a little love note can do. Pop one into hubby’s lunch box with the intention of enhancing the love between you. Alternatively, a sweet text message or an email while hubby is at work can stir heartfelt emotions and will set the mood of your relationship for the day.

Make sure there are some positive connections between you and your kids before they leave the house. A good long hug or wishes for a good

day are simple ways to establish positive vibes.

Umm Zaynab, mother of 4, says she likes to send her daughters a flying kiss at the door before they leave. If you are dropping them off, use the drive in the car to connect.

There are many delightful reports of moments of humor shared between the Prophet (PBUH) and the sahaba (companions). Sharing jokes in the car can be a fun lighthearted start to a serious day. Alternatively, use the time to give them some simple Islamic advice while their minds are still fresh.

Tidiness and cleanliness is an intrinsic part of being Muslim.

“Verily Allah is Pure and loves purity, Clean and loves cleanliness, Noble and loves nobility, Generous and loves generosity. So, keep your courtyards (of your homes) clean, and do not resemble the Jews.” (Tirmidhi)

These household chores are part of the daily grind so why not turn them into acts of ibadah (worship) you can earn rewards for. Make the intention to do it for the sake of Allah as He loves cleanliness and order. In the same vein, beautifying your home for Allah’s pleasure and for bringing comfort to your family can also earn you rewards since Allah is beautiful and loves beauty. [Muslim]

While cooking can be a real labor at times, turning it into ibadah (worship) can be a motivating factor to get that pot on the stove. Our bodies are a trust from Allah and one that we should nourish and care for so cook your family wholesome foods. Beautify this daily act by keeping up with the remembrance of Allah while you stir your pot, add your spice and measure your flour etc.

When opening your fridge express gratitude for all that Allah, your Raziq (Provider), has bestowed on you.  Reciting Allah’s name, Ya-Wadudu (All-Loving) and blowing onto the food can facilitate loving relationships amongst members in the family. This is a great means to douse sibling rivalry for sure!